The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-04-13
BLlIAEsSi SUPERSTITION.
THE LIKENESS OF HIS CAREER
TO HENRY CLAY'S
0vershadowed Him In 1SS4-The
Letter san" Theory-COnkliDg's
Theory OF Double an"

Philadelphia Times: Those who
were nearest to James G.. Blaine in the
canvsss Of 1884, and who had his en-.
the confidence, can bear evidence that
there never was a day or hour, from
his nomination at Chicago, in June,
1884, until the end of the campaign,
on the fint Tuesday ofNovsmber, thai
Mr.. Blaine did not believe he would
be defeated. Many who were not even
close in hie confidence can recall how
de ,pondently throughout that canvass
he would refer to the similarity OF his
political career to that OF Henry Clay
each beginning life as a school
teacher, then a member OF the Legis-
lature, Congressman, Speaker of the
House, Senator, and each defeated
twice for the Presidential nomination,
and both nominated upon the third
trial OF strength, and -. The man
ner in which Blaine would refer to the
def at of Henry Clay, the icol of his
party, by James X. Polk, a man almost
unknown to the people at large, he'd a
most depressing effect upon his friends.
But there was another matter that
deeply sfiected Mr.. Blaine, and con-
irmed him in his iatalistic fear that
the decree OF fate made his defeat alb
solutely certain.
A critical examination OF the results
of Presidential elections, such as, per-
haps, ony MI. Blaine himself would
think OF making, showed h,m that up.
on every occasion OF a Presidential
election the candidate with the letter
'n" Yves elected, and as this letter 80"
theory of Mr.. B aine may play a con-
s~picuous part ia the campaign OF next
year, fataiists and supsrstit. ous poll
ticiane would do well to study the les
son Mr.. Blaine has already leaned.
In 1888, George Washington, a letter
IN" man, defeated John Adams by an
electoral vote of eixty-nine to thirty
four, and in 1902 Washington again
beat Adams by a vote OF 1872 to seventy
seven. In 1904, as Thomas Jefferson
and Aaron Barr each had seventy
three electoral votes, there was no
election by the people, and upon the
thirty-sixth ballet in the House of
Representatives Thomas Jefferson was
elected. In 1903 Thomas Jefferson
and George Clinton defeated Charles
Coleswolth and Rufus King by an
electoral vote of 1852 to fcu teen in THE
csse, the first in which candidates for
President and Vice President We're
nominated for, the last letter
OF sboth the successful candidate s'
nsmes ended with en-" In 1872
James Madison, for President and
George Clinton for Vice President,
had 122 votes to AZ each for q. O.
P,nGkney for President and RUFUS King
FIR Vice President. Madison was re-
elected four years later. In 1928 An
drew Jackson and John Q. Calhoun,
both names ending with 'n," defeated
John Quincy Adams and Richard
Rush for President and Vice Pfesi-
dem by an electoral vote of I7S to SO
In 1882 the candidates for President
we're Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay,
John Floyd and William Writ, of
Maryland, and the candidates for
Vice President we're Martin Van
Buren,, John Sergeant, Willism Will
gins, Henry Lee and Amos Eltmsker,
and of the 2S8 electoral votes cast,
Jackson had 2l9 and Van Buren, 1S9,
both letter "n" fellows sgain winning.
In 1885 Martin Van Buren, defeated
William Henry Hsrrieon by q vote of
40 to 70, and Richard NJ. Johnson
was elected Vice President we Fran
els Granger, John Tyler and William
smith, OF Alsbama; but in 1910 Gen.
Harrison defeated Van Buren, by q
vote OF 234 10 60. The next letter IN"
candidate was James Buchanan, who
defeated John c. Fremont and Willard
Fillmore. Ia 1859 tie candidates were
Abraham Lincoln and Hsnnital Ham,
lin-both letter "n" nominees. Breck.
iuridge and Lane, Douglas and John
son, and Bell and Everett, AMI in 1864
Lincoln and johnson against McClsl-
Ian and PendIeton, all names ending
with the letter IN" the Republicans
winning by o vote Ct 212 to 81. The
next ietter "n" candidate was Samuel
J. Tilden, who defeated Hayes before
the people by II vote Of 202 to 1877, but
which an Electoral Commission, with
Senators Morton and FreliDghuysen,
both letter IN" statesmen, changed to
1876 for Hayes 10 1874 for Tlldsn. There
have been no letter IN" candidates
sincs 1875, and only bad luck, death
and defest has attended the Repub.
licsn candidate since then,
Soon after the nomination OF Grover
Cleveland 1 met James G. Blaine ant
strolled with him fr, Qusntly on the
banks OF the Kennebec. On n oi
these ocCa:iops, after he had beer
planning industtiously for hours Ia
secure his election, he said in a tone
OF dependency that was painful
"They call me the Henry Clay OF the
Republican party. l believe | am
and, like Clay, am destined to defeat
Twice Henry Clay was defeated fol
the nomination when he could have
been elected, and /, too, have beer
twice rejected when an election wal
certain. Clay was nominated upon
the third trial and defeated by 9 no
body, and it Seems certain that | an
to be beaten by a man who FIVE year
ago was the Sheriff of q sixth clae
city,"
Roscoe Conklipg is represented a
saying, when this Blaine theory o
COCA luck attending candidates who's,
names ended with the letter in" wal
called to his attention: "As the sue
cess of Madison and Clinton, jackson
and Calhoun, Lincoln and Hsmlin
and Lincoln and Johnson was so pro
nounced. why not make it a double
IN ticket in 1882" And that il VIII,
lha ticket nj .John Sherman for Prpai
dent and Robert T. Lincoln or Allison
or Harrison for Vice President is gain
ing go rapidly in favor in the State o